New mayor sworn in for Barnet

In Brief...

Cllr Brian Salinger has taken over from Cllr David Longstaff to become the 53rd mayor of Barnet

In Full...

The new mayor was sworn in to office on Tuesday. Cllr Brian Salinger has taken over from Cllr David Longstaff to become the 53rd mayor of Barnet. Mr Salinger’s wife Kate, a former Coppetts Ward councillor, will be mayoress and Cllr Val Duschinsky has been chosen by Cllr Salinger to take on the role as Deputy Mayor. Cllr Salinger said: ““I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a councillor and to become Mayor of this borough in what will be my last year is truly an honour. “I look forward to serving the community during my time as Mayor.”

A councillor for 31 years, Cllr Salinger has represented the former Friern Barnet ward, now Oakleigh ward and was elected leader of the council in 2005, before which he was a council cabinet member for Housing and Environmental Health. He is also involved in various education and health-related causes, such as his role as a governor of Moss Hall Primary School and a representative for the borough in the Jesus Hospital charity, who provide alms-house accommodation.

In the 1990s Cllr Salinger was also involved in the plans for the rebuilding of Barnet Hospital, in his role as the chairman of the Barnet Health Authority at the time. The Mayor's charity for his first year is Homeless Action in Barnet, which he has been involved with for some time. The swearing-in ceremony took place on Tuesday night at Hendon Town Hall.